A 65-year-old farmer has committed suicide in protest against new legislation passed by India’s government that many claim will leave agricultural workers seriously out of pocket. Baba Ram Singh, from the village of Singhra in Haryana state, shot himself at Singhu border – one of the main rallying points – on the outskirts of New Dehli on Wednesday evening.
He left a suicide note explaining that he couldn't bare to witness the plight of India’s farmers any longer.
65-year-old #farmer commits suicide at Singhu border on Wednesday evening. In the suicide note he stated that he can't see the ordeal of farmers who are sitting on the outskirts of the national capital. @mssirsa@KisanSabha@IndianFarmers_@RakeshTikaitBKU#FarmersProstest pic.twitter.com/3XpHBldPVd
— Advitya (@advityabahl) December 16, 2020
The protesting agricultural workers are demanding PM Modi rolls back three new laws: the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020, Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.
They have accused the government of abandoning its minimum price support (MPS) scheme, which protects armers' income, and leaving them at the mercy of big corporations.
